Penang pull major upset on Sarawak spikers
SIBU: Sarawak men’s volleyball team suffered a rude shock when they were stunned by Penang 2- 3 ( 25- 21, 22- 25, 25- 27, 25- 20, 13-15) in their Group A match at Sibu Volleyball Association Indoor Stadium at Rejang Park yesterday.
A gloom descended on the stadium for the 1,000 dejected fans although coach Philip Teo said all is not lost.
“If we can win our next two matches, we still have a chance to top Group A. Hopefully, the local fans will continue to come and support the team,” he added.
Sarawak will take on Johor at 4pm today and lock horns with Sabah at 12 noon on Sunday. Penang now top the group with two wins and a loss (1- 3 to Johor).
Sarawak’s targeted gold could turn out to be an elusive dream unless the defeat was just a temporary setback.
“I admitted that our players committed many unnecessary service faults and that cost us dearly against the Penang team. That is the area we will rectify,” Teo stated.
Penang coach Liew Kok How had no doubt his team had created a major upset.
“Sarawak is a strong team and some more playing on their home ground, it was not easy for my boys to beat them. But we created the impossible and I am very happy with the overall performance of my boys,” he said in a post-match interview.
Penang had not send any volleyball team in the past three Sukma and the current team were only assembled in 2010.
“For 13 years, I was not in the volleyball fraternity but our Sports Council director requested me to come back and be the volleyball coach. The current batch is supposed to be in preparation for our 2018 project squad as all the players are under 17-years- old. Our ability to beat Sarawak will give us the extra confidence to go further,” he added.
Asked about his team’s recipe for victory, he would only say that he saw the weak points of the Sarawak team before and his players exploited those areas.
“Our target is to qualify for the semi-fi nal and anything beyond that is a bonus.”
In yesterday’s match, Sarawak - powered by the three 6- footers Brandon Kiew, Jackson Ting and Sim Ming Feng - appeared to be cruising to victory after taking the first set. But the rest of the five-setter turned out to be fiercely contested with the lead changing hands numerous times.
We created the impossible and I am very happy with the overall performance of my boys. Liew Kok How, Penang coach